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| Hong Kong to vote amid rising anti-China feeling | Hong Kong to vote amid rising anti-China feeling |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Hong Kong voters are going to the polls in an election which could pave the way for universal suffrage. | |
| For the first time, more than half the 70 seats on the governing legislative council will be directly elected. | For the first time, more than half the 70 seats on the governing legislative council will be directly elected. |
| On Saturday, the Hong Kong government backed down on plans to introduce mandatory Chinese patriotism lessons, after weeks of street protests. | On Saturday, the Hong Kong government backed down on plans to introduce mandatory Chinese patriotism lessons, after weeks of street protests. |
| Anger against the Chinese government has been growing in Hong Kong, which has a semi-autonomous status. | Anger against the Chinese government has been growing in Hong Kong, which has a semi-autonomous status. |
| Polls open at 07:30 local time (23:30 GMT on Saturday) and close at 22:30 (15:30). | Polls open at 07:30 local time (23:30 GMT on Saturday) and close at 22:30 (15:30). |
| The BBC's Hong Kong correspondent, Juliana Liu, says pro-democracy candidates are expected to benefit this year, energised by growing anger against mainland China and the lack of political reform there. | The BBC's Hong Kong correspondent, Juliana Liu, says pro-democracy candidates are expected to benefit this year, energised by growing anger against mainland China and the lack of political reform there. |
| Hong Kong, which was handed back from Britain to China in 1997, enjoys greater political freedom than the mainland, including a free press and the right to peaceful assembly. | Hong Kong, which was handed back from Britain to China in 1997, enjoys greater political freedom than the mainland, including a free press and the right to peaceful assembly. |
| The election campaign has been dominated by issues such as patriotic education, corruption, and the growing number of visitors from mainland China. | The election campaign has been dominated by issues such as patriotic education, corruption, and the growing number of visitors from mainland China. |
| Our correspondent says universal suffrage - one person, one vote - could come as early as 2017, but it needs the support of more than half the members of the legislative council. | Our correspondent says universal suffrage - one person, one vote - could come as early as 2017, but it needs the support of more than half the members of the legislative council. |
| A strong showing by pro-democracy candidates makes the transition more likely, our correspondent says. | A strong showing by pro-democracy candidates makes the transition more likely, our correspondent says. |
| Classes U-turn | Classes U-turn |
| For the past week, thousands of demonstrators have camped out around Hong Kong's government headquarters, protesting against the plan for mandatory patriotism lessons. | For the past week, thousands of demonstrators have camped out around Hong Kong's government headquarters, protesting against the plan for mandatory patriotism lessons. |
| They said the lessons were Communist Party propaganda and whitewashed events such as the 1989 crackdown in Tiananmen Square and the famine under Mao Zedong. | They said the lessons were Communist Party propaganda and whitewashed events such as the 1989 crackdown in Tiananmen Square and the famine under Mao Zedong. |
| But the government said the goal was to foster a sense of national belonging. | But the government said the goal was to foster a sense of national belonging. |
| The proposed curriculum, which consisted of general civics education as well as more controversial lessons on appreciating mainland China, was due to be introduced in primary schools in September and secondary schools in 2013. | The proposed curriculum, which consisted of general civics education as well as more controversial lessons on appreciating mainland China, was due to be introduced in primary schools in September and secondary schools in 2013. |
| On Saturday, Hong Kong's chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, said the classes would be optional for schools. | On Saturday, Hong Kong's chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, said the classes would be optional for schools. |
| Mr Leung, who was sworn in as Hong Kong's chief executive in July, cancelled his trip to the Apec regional summit this weekend because of the furore. | Mr Leung, who was sworn in as Hong Kong's chief executive in July, cancelled his trip to the Apec regional summit this weekend because of the furore. |